1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an anti-theft device for displaying particularly expensive and attractive goods in shops and department stores, of the kind comprising a container formed by a first part and a second part hinged together, a lock slide inside said first part, which includes at least one projection and can be displaced manually between an engaged position in which the projection engages said second part to lock the parts together in a closed position of the container, and a disengaged position allowing opening of the container, a latch mechanism for latching the lock slide in the engaged position, which can be actuated by means of a special tool to unlatch the lock slide and allow displacement thereof to the disengaged position, and an element for wireless activation of an alarm if the anti-theft device is carried through an exit of the shop or the department store.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An anti-theft device of this kind is disclosed in EP 0 616 103 B1 wherein the container comprises a lower-part and a lid, projections on the lock slide and the lid inter-engaging in the closed position of the container. The lock slide is mounted in the lower-part for displacement along a partition therein. In the engaged position the lock slide is latched to the partition by means of spring blades on the partition which engage the lock slide and can be disengaged by the spring blades being actuated mechanically or magnetically in order to allow displacement of the lock slide to the disengaged position when the container is to be opened.
This prior art anti-theft device does not provide a satisfactory protection against theft of the objects displayed in the container because it can be opened too easily by means of a tool inserted between the lower-part and the lid the projections being broken off when the lower-part and the lid are separated by means of the tool.
EP 0 731 870 B1 describes an anti-theft device wherein the lock slide is provided with lock bolts which are brought into and out of engagement with the box by means of the lock slide which is operated by means of an operating slide parallel with the lock slide. The operating slide can be displaced back and forth manually and is operatively connected with the lock slide in such a way that the displacement of the operating slide is converted into a displacement of the lock slide in the transverse direction of the displacement of the operating slide. The lock slide is latched in the locking position by means of a latch mechanism described in EP 0581 811 B1. The housing thereof is available on the outside of the anti-theft device and forms a finger grip for the manual displacement of the operating slide between engaged and disengaged position.
The anti-theft device disclosed in EP 0 731 870 B1 is of a complicated construction as the lock mechanism thereof includes two slides, a lock slide and an operating slide, operatively interconnected.